From the Readings, there are 3 important lessons I took away from it, on how to use AR in the classroom:
1) Make sure my students learning is the center of my work.
- Meaning, while AR can be fun and interactive, I need to make sure my use for them is meeting my standards and objectives for my class. I also need to make sure that they are learning from these AR apps. The reading talked about having a balance between fun and implementing your lesson in the plans of using AR.
2) Prepare your AR lesson well.
- Don't open an AR app at the same time as your students. There could be time consuming set-ups that take away the time of teaching and learning. Make sure you have the app set up, the targets printed out, and the lessons ready to go. If a teacher chooses to create their own AR target, etc..., they need to have that ready and set to go, before class begins. This will take more energy and planning time, than an already planned out AR target.
3) It's important to work in teams.
-AR apps are a good tool to have your students work in groups. Having students collaborate, will not only help in including their ideas, but will also help them to grow in the way they learn. They can use their groups input in creating and growing their ideas.
So, now I want to talk about some of the AR apps that I enjoyed in class...and took home with me to enjoy :)
Augmented Reality Apps:
Live Butterflies:
This 'Live Butterflies' app was one of my favorites. In this app, you can either play a game, where you touch the butterflies as they virtually fly around the room, or you can touch the screen and a butterfly will land on your finger. It amazes me that you can be looking through your camera at you room, and there are beautiful butterflies, snow, bunnies, or dinosaurs all around you.
What I experienced when I was using this app in the room, was pure joy :) I really love butterflies, and I could not believe that they were just flying around the room with me. I could see students finding this very entertaining. Not only was it an easy app to set up, it was very clear on how to work the app. So, I believe my students would not have a problem with it.
If I were to use this in my classroom, I would first do a study on butterflies. From that study on the life of butterflies, I would have students pay with this app, and take time trying to catch them and having them fly around the room.
AR House:
The AR House, was very interesting to me. This app, basically lets you see what a 3D building would look like in the planning stages and the built stages. As you point at an area on the building it take you to several places, including: inside of a floor being built, the outside of the building, surrounding area, and the roof. What was interesting about this app, is that as I moved the iPad around, it looked like I was in real-time at the place of the building, looking all over, like I was there. I couldn't explain it. This app was impressive, because it left me feeling, "how did that happen?". I could not understand how the screen would move around me and I could see all angles.
To use this in a classroom would be neat, because of that feature. I'm wondering if they could do that with famous buildings and have the experience of the students looking all around the building or famous location, while just moving around with their iPad. I think it would be neat to show students the different phases of building a large building.
Quiver:
Quiver was so fun for me :) I can't believe that the bunny I am looking at in 3D, is the actually bunny that I colored. It was so funny to see that. In this app, you not only get to see the bunny that you just colored on a coloring sheet, but you also get to play a game where she shoots bad robots with her carrots. It was a cute way to see your creation take shape...literally :)
In this app, you first have to print the target sheet, then you color it, and then you scan that target on your iPad. From there, it's very easy to manipulate and play with your drawing. I could see my future class really enjoying this. Mostly, because, seeing the their own creation in action would be shocking and fun at the same time. If I used this sin the classroom, I would have a lesson one of the target topics, and then use this as a way for them to play with that. I really think the students would enjoy the game part, also.
Guinness World Record Book:
This was a fun one to experience with my classmates. There were so many choices in the book for each of us to try, and I kept being amazed by what we found. My favorite was the 'Worlds Largest Man"...he was huge. Lily kept moving her iPad up to see him, it felt like we were really in the same room as him. Even the spider seemed a bit too real for me :)
To use this in my class, would be really amazing. I mean, I am in my 30's, and I thought it was so cool and exciting. It would be great to pick a topic for my class and then have them check out one of these targets in the book. Even if we did not have a specific topic, I would like them to experience something fun, like seeing a hand come out of a book at them.
In conclusion, I see so many ways for AR to be implemented in my classroom. If we were studying anatomy or something that has to do with our bodies, it would be great to use the Anatomy AR to have the students see how our organs function. They have the opportunity to not only see a picture, but interact with that picture, as if it were sitting in front of them. They get to go to space, into the heart, watch dinosaurs roam their classrooms, and even race a car around the room. Not every AR is super 'educating', but it is a new dimension to their learning, and to me that is always 'education'. I think it is important to think outside the box when it comes to teaching. To implement AR in some of my lesson plans would benefit the kids in teaching them to not only create, but also use 3D technology to explore new lessons. I can say, I am a big fan of Augmented Reality Learning, now :)
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